Store-front awning



F. A. ANTON STORE FRONT AWNING March 17, 1931.

Filed July 15, 1929 J INVENTOR.

\ I'mdericJlAAnfo E? Q ATTOR Y.

Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UHTE A STATE% FREDERICK .A. ANTGN, OF TOZPEKA, KANSAS STORE-FRONT AW'NING Application filed July 15, 1929.

This invention relates to awnings of that class known as lateral-arm awnings which involve the use of jointed arms, which in unfolding spread the fabric and refold when the fabric is rolled up. With this type of awning gravity isordinarily relied upon to effect the spread of the fabric, and in low awnings the fabric when spread has but slight fall or incline and is not usually 16 stretched as tightly as desirable, and sometimes the force of gravity is not sufiicient to fully spread the awning. To overcome this difficulty, it has been proposed to use springs at the junction of the folding arm members to assist gravity in the unfolding of the arms and the consequent spread of the fabric, but I have found that on buildings of the more modern type where space between the win dow to be shaded and the transom above such 20 window is very narrow, it is impracticable fere with pedestrian traffic, especially in instances where a person so carries an object that it projects to a substantially higher plane than the bearers head.

It has also been found that the variation of tension provided in a structure where the spring occurs at the junction of the foldable members, is too limited for practicalservice in all connections, as the spring at such point, must have a relatively extended range of uncoiling movement,180-to effect the complete unfolding of the foldable arm.

My primary object, therefore, is to provide a spring which aids in the opening or spreading of an awning but which uncoils only about a quarter turn-, in the spread ing operation andhence applies a greater force to hold the awning fabric under tension, when stretched, than a spring which uncoils about half a turn, and is so located as to give the attendant greater leverage to Serial No. 378,433.

effect the return of the awning to inoperative position; which by reason of more restricted coiling and uncoiling action, is subjected to less strain, and hence has capacity for a longer period of service; and which occupies no space in addition to that required for the folding arm, and hence avoids the necessity of the provision of a box or housing of undesirable size.

Another object is to provide very simple means for effecting adjustments for varying the tension of the spring and for incidentally avoiding the necessity of providing threads or employing a nut for retaining the pivot in place, which unites the foldable arm to the customary carrying bracket. Another object is to provide more accessible means than heretofore, for firmly securing the said bracket at the desired points of rotatable adjustment relative to the customary hanger rigidly secured to the building or within the box or housing hereinbefore mentioned.

With the above mentioned objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it be fully understood reference is to be had to the ac companying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a. fragmental plan view of a hanger and folding arm embodying the invention, the hanger and certain parts associated together being broken away to more clearly disclose their relationship and the folding arm occupying its extended or operative position.

Figure 2 is a side view of the hanger and of a part of the folding arm, the latter, as in Figure 1. being indicated in the position occupied when the awning, not shown, is in stretched or operative position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the dotted line III of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 1VIV of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, 1 indicates a hanger adapted to be secured to the front of a building or to the back of a box or housing fastened to a building and adapted to receive and protect the awning when in inoperative position, neither the buildii'ig nor the housing being shown. The hanger is of substantially L-shape in side view and at its outer end terminates in a horizontal head 2 which internally tapers from each end at 3, as indicated in the broken part of the hangen disclosed by Figure 1. The head is also provided with a boss a and mounted in said boss is clamping screw A forl-ted bracla'et 6 which stands in a position more or less inclined upwardly and outwardlv according to the pitch or inclined of the awning when in use is forked to provide an upper and a lower arm, and has a conical stud 7 which projects into the head 2, and has a c oss partition 8. An opposing" conical stud 9 projects into the head 2 from the conesite en d thereof and a so has cross partition 10. The b acket tits against the opposing? end of the head. and to clamp it firmly in place. a he ded bolt 11 extends throuogh the pa tition 8 and the partition 10 and encased at its outer end by anut As thus ar described the parts correspond to alonjous features of mvco-pendin application Serial. No. 320,61

it has been found essential in awninn's of th s characte to provide means tor more depeudablv .Q'uardine' against rotatable move ment of the bracket than by the bolt and nut connec ion a ove mentioned. In my co-pendinn application provision was made for the pur ose mentioned. but I have tound that a more simple and equally effective means tor preveutin rotation of the bracket where the same has a conical stud, the hanger ahead for receiving); the stud, and means such as the opposing? stud and bolt and nut mentioned, for preventing): endwise movement of the said conical stud. is to employ a simple clamping screw, as s eh with the parts correlated as explained. can be caused to impinqe tightly on the stud 7 and thus. in cooperation with the clamping action of the nut and bolt, guard against accidental rotatable movement of the bracket. and such clampingscrew is easily and readily accessible regardless of whether the awning is in operative position or not.

The uppe side of the upper arm 13 or" the bracket is formed with a circular recess and axially of said recess, said arm and the lower arm are provided with circular openin 5 's for the reception of a pivot 15, having a head 16 by which it may be readily turned by a wrench. Below the head the pivot has a c rcular enlargement 17 to fit in the circular recess 14-, with its upper surface flush with the non-recessed portion of the upper arm of the bracket. The circular enlargement of the pivot is provided. with a circular series of openings 18,. preferably in its periph ral edge. and any one of said openings is adaptcdto be engaged by a locking screw or pin 19 mounted in the upper arm of the bracket and disposed so that its head shall overlie the enlargement oi" the pivot and thus serve the dual function of preventing rotation and u nvard movement of the pivot, which therefore needs no nut or the like, to

retain it against accidental dislocation from position.

The pivot its non-threaded end is provi ded with a longitudinal channel 20 for en- 'ement by an arm 21 formed one extremicy o't coil spring: 22. The spring at the e:-: tremity ment oned is formed wit-h an inner coil lying within and in juxtaposed relation to the adjacent coil so that the latter may "Function oguard against such outward movement of the e emity ot the inner coilv a wo ld disengage its arm 21 from the pivot bo t. The major portion of the spring; corresponds diameter to the coil which encloses the said inner coil, and at the opposite end min in an arm 24: which 7 he inner men'ibcr ot a folding: arm comnoseo of said inner member 2!" and an outer member 26, he outer member being adapted attachment to the pole ot the curtaim not shown, as conventional in this class o't awning.

the body portion of the spring is of sub staut allv greater diameter than the pivot, a

at u u mounted on the pivot and standing on the inner co'l substanti a ly iills the spring. The use of this sleeve is desirable as it permits of:

the employment, without undue lateral bending; or movement, of a relatively large sprint SllP -l a. sprinp: is desirable because it not only makes rrov sion or the use of an inner coil at the end anchored to the pivot, but has a minimum compressive or tortional act-ion in effectine the opening or untolding of the foldable arm even where the awning when stretched, occupies position inclined but little from the horizontal.

It will be und rstood of course that when the awing is in inoperative position, the arm member 25 projects to the right (with reference to Figure 1) and stands in a position about parallel and almost in alincment with the axis of the bracket and that the other member is folded back against the outer side of member 25, the curtain at such time being rcwound upon the customary roller, not shown.

Assuming that the tension of the spring is excessive for an awning; having a particular incline when in operative position, the opera tor will. first permit the folding; armstherc being two or more of these for each awning, of course will be understood,to assume the outstretched position shown, because it he removes the locking pins 19 when the springs are under the greatest tension, that is when the awning is in inoperative position, it would be necessary to engage a wrench with the head of each pivot to prevent free turning movement thereof. WVith the foldable arms outstretched however, and the springs therefore at weakest tension, each locking pin can be readily withdrawn and a wrench applied to the head of the associated pivot to restrain the same from unrestricted turning movement by the spring, but permit the pivot to turn until the spring has relaxed its pressure to the desired extent. lVhen this result is attained, the nearest peripheral opening of the enlargement of the pivot is brought to register with the opening in the upper arm of the bracket 6, and the locking pin is engaged with such peripheral opening and reengaged with the opening of the bracket.

IV here it is desired to increase the tension the same manipulation is followed, except that the force must be applied on the wrench to overcome the resistance of the spring for increasing the tension thereof. hen the required increase of tension is obtained, the nearest opening of the pivot enlargement will, as explained, he brought into register with the opening in the upper arm of the bracket, and the locking pin resecured in position. 7

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced an awning embodying the improvement set forth as desirable in the statement of the object of the invention, and which may be readily modified in various details within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an awning, a bracket, a substantially upright pivot carried by the bracket and provided with an enlargement resting on the bracket and equipped with a circular series of openings, a screw engaging the bracket and extending through one of the openings of said enlargement and provided with a head overlapping the enlargement to prevent turning or upward movement of the pivot, a foldable arm pivotally mounted at its inner extremity, on said pivot, and a spring coiled around and secured at one end to the pivot and at the other end engaging the foldable arm adjacent its pivoted extremity and tending to unfold the arm. 7

2. In an awning, a horizontally forked bracket, a pivot extending through the bracket across the fork thereof and having a head at one end and a longitudinal channel opening through its non-headed end, means to hold the pivot against accidental rotation, an arm mounted on the pivot for swinging movement, and a coil spring loosely enclosing the pivot within the fork of the bracket and at one end engaging said arm and tending to swing the same in one direction; the opposite end of the spring having a double coil, one within and juxtaposed to the other, the inner one terminating in an inwardly-projecting arm engaging the channel of the pivot and held therein by the enclosing coil.

3. In an awning, a horizontally forked bracket, a pivot extending through the bracket across the fork thereof and having a head at one end and a longitudinal channel opening through its non-head end, means engaging the head of the pivot to hold the latter against accidental rotation, an arm mounted on the pivot for swinging movement, and a coil spring loosely enclosing the pivot within the fork of the bracket and at one end engaging said arm and tending to swing the same in one direction; the opposite end of the spring having a double coil, one within and juxtaposed to the other, the inner one terminating in an inwardly-projecting arm engaging the channel of the pivot and held therein by the enclosing coil; and a sleeve fitting on the pivot within the spring and resting on the said inner coil thereof.

4. In an awning structure, a support, a pivot carried by the support and provided with an enlargement having a circular series of openings, means secured to the support and overlapping the said enlargement and detachably engaging any one of said open ings, an arm pivotally mounted on the pivot, and a spring mounted on and secured at one end to the pivot and engaging said arm and tending to swing the latter on the pivot.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FREDERICK A. ANTON. 

